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Shekhar urges government to restrain machismo

Former prime minister Chandra Shekhar today called upon the A B Vajpayee government not to whip up emotions on the nuclear issue as such a step would lead the country down a perilous path.

Participating in the discussion in the Lok Sabha on the nuclear tests, Chandra Shekhar said the nuclear bomb would in no way reduce threats to the country's security.

He said major problems would be in store for the continent if an arms race is triggered by Pokhran II.

Visualising a grim economic scenario in the post-sanctions phase, Chandra Shekhar said the value of the rupee against the dollar was sliding and just after the tests, the country had suffered an additional foreign debt of Rs 212 billion because of devaluation.

He regretted that not only members from the treasury benches, but some Opposition parties too vied with each other to take credit for the tests carried out at Pokhran on May 11 and 13.

He asked what India would do with the nuclear bomb. ''Will it be dropped on Lahore? But then think of the fallout in Amritsar,'' he said.

The Samajwadi Janata Party president said Advani was using a challenging tone while Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat was planning to take a yatra with the Pokhran sand and asked where such moves would lead the country.

Urging the Vajpayee government to build the people's confidence, Chandra Shekhar said it was pointless to debate whether India signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty now or not.

UNI

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